Residents of south suburban Matteson were in for a shock the morning of June 27 when a major freight train derailment caused nearly 25 cars to fall off the tracks, resulting in a temporary evacuation order for up to 300 people.
Trains are running again and there are no reported injuries.
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“We are still actively involved in keeping that area safe and making sure that individuals that go through that area cannot go through without police and fire [fighters] to protect them,” said Matteson Mayor Sheila Chalmers-Currin.
There was some cause for concern when one of the Canadian National Railway trains leaked a small amount of “residue liquified petroleum gas,” or propane, which local firefighters were able to quickly contain.
Emergency crews respond to a train derailment in south suburban Matteson on June 27, 2024. (Credit: Village of Matteson)
Cleanup is still underway following the controlled flaring of eleven cars that contained trace amounts of the gas.
Canadian National officials said that there is no danger to public safety. However, the situation comes on the heels of last year’s train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio that released hazardous chemicals into the air.
DePaul University Sustainable Urban Development Professor Joseph Schwieterman says the main difference between what happened in the south suburb and in East Palestine is the response.
“One thing we see different here is immediate communication with the residents,” he said. “People are scared when they see these cars come off, especially when it’s a tank car.”
Chalmers-Currin says the controlled flaring that happened at the site is not harmful to the public.
Schwieterman suspects the cause of the derailment is likely due to a defect on an older car moving too fast, however the true cause remains a mystery while an investigation is ongoing.
“I think we dodged a bullet here with tank cars derailing, but thankfully they weren’t fully loaded,” he said.
The derailment highlights a more serious problem with transportation in the region as trains continue to get longer and slower, and freight traffic in the area remains constant, Schwieterman said.
“It’s a big part of our life right now,” said Chalmers-Currin. “We’ve done everything we could to make sure we continue to keep our residents safe.”
Emergency crews and village officials respond to a train derailment in south suburban Matteson on June 27, 2024. (Credit: Village of Matteson)